Comfy Cowl and Leggings

I currently can’t stop dreaming about making beautiful silk blouses and tailored wool coats and faux leather jackets, but my dreams are confounded by the fact that I’m so far into my pregnancy that all I want to wear are my comfiest comfies. So, to add a bit of polish to my daily wardrobe here in my last month of pregnancy, I decided to make a maternity-approved variation of the classic cowl from Mood Fabric’s black wool jersey.

Mood describes this jersey as “a soft, tissue-weight wool jersey knit… perfect for t-shirts and tops.” I couldn’t agree more – it really is perfect for this winter top. Plus, it cut and sewed quickly and easily (a must for me at this point in my pregnancy!), and it’s super warm and cozy to wear. If you haven’t tried wool jersey before but are comfortable with knits and would love a warm top this winter, I highly recommend you check out this fabric.

To make this top, I started with the Sewaholic Renfrew pattern, and then I lengthened it 11″ in the front and 6″ in the back while also widening it, gradually increasing to an extra 6″ around the hem. When I was sewing it together, I gathered the extra 5″ of length in the front into the side seam near the widest part of my baby belly. You can see the little puckers from the gathering in the photo above. I also made a more substantial hem band to complement the longer length of the top.

The navy fabric is a panel print, and to make sure I had enough yardage, I ordered two panels. When I was laying the pattern (Vogue V8401 with the waistline dropped so that it ends under my belly) out on the fabric, I realized the second panel would start a few inches above where the top ends. Even though the repeating pattern would be hidden for the most part, I couldn’t ignore the fact that there might be times when it would peek out. Since I figured a navy-to-navy seam would be more subtle than the start of a new tree line, I separated the two panels and serged them top-to-top before cutting out my pattern. I don’t notice the extra seam when I’m wearing them, and no one’s inspecting my leggings closely enough to even see it, so it’s a win-win in my book! When I was ordering my fabrics, I imagined these leggings pairing nicely with black ankle boots. But, in reality my feet are too swollen at this point! Maybe post pregnancy?!

The wine-colored fabric is a wonderfully comfortable jersey that feels and wears exactly like my favorite pair of store-bought leggings. It has a second layer of fabric applied to its surface that is printed to look like old denim and roses. I really love the my-jeans-are-falling-apart-but-oh-look!-roses! vibe it has going on. Mood suggests it would be “great for a variety of apparel”, and I agree. I’d love to see what others have made with it!

All in all I am very happy with what are likely my last handmade maternity clothes – at least for this pregnancy! Having something that keeps me feeling cozy while not looking like a bathrobe or a pair of sweats is very nice right now. I’m pretty sure these outfits will be on heavy rotation for the next little bit, especially considering that my due date is only two weeks away now!

Well, this post is likely my last before the little one arrives. I’ll be taking a few months of leave from MSN so that I can spend some quality time with my newborn, but then I’ll be back making my dreams of beautiful silk blouses, tailored wool coats, and faux leather jackets into realities. See you back here in the spring!

Comfy Cowl and Leggings was last modified: January 6th, 2014 by Sew Well